Radio viewing system



Feb. 9, 1954 H. A. IAMS RADIO `VIEWING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 26, 1945 INVENTOR. I

arroz/ffy 677W HND/325,75

Feb. n9, 1954 H A, |AMS 2,668,869

RADIO VIEWING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 2G, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENroR.

Haag/JW BY A Patented Feb. 9, 1954 RADIO VIEWING SYSTEM Harley A. Iams, Princeton, N. J., assigner to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Dela- Ware Application February 26, 1945, Serial No. 579,871

s claims. l

My invention relates to systems for viewing scenes in darkness or obscured by fog, smoke or the like, and in particular it relates to systems of this -type wherein the scene is viewed as though it were a motion picture.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved method of and means for obtaining a viewl of a scene by utilizing radio waves radiated or reflected therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method of and means for scanning the image of a scene that is obscured by darkness, fog or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide an 'improved device for changing the size or position of a radio wave image.

In practicing one embodiment of the invention, the radio waves received from a scene are imaged by means of a mirror or a lens and this image is scanned by means of a plurality of radially positioned wave guides. The signal from the device is amplified and supplied to an image reproducer such as a cathode ray tube which has its cathode ray deflected in synchronism with the scanning of the radio wave image whereby a view of the scene is obtained. According to one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of wave guides assembled in tapered relation to form an image shrinker are employed to reduce the size of the image so that it may be scanned more easily.

The invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a plan'view of one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1,

Figures 3 and 4 are detail views of portions of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2,

Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of modied portions of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2,

Figures 7 and 8 are side views of optical systems that `may be employed to obtain a radio wave image,

Figure 9 is a perspective View of an image shrinker constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 10 is an end view taken on the line X-X of Fig.v 9,

Figure 11 is a perspective view of an image shrinker constructed in laccordance with another embodiment of the invention,

Figure llais a fragmentary view in cross-secf tion of a portion of the image shrinker shown in Fig. 11,

Figure 12 is a block and circuit diagram of a viewing system embodying the invention,

Figure 13 is a side view of another embodiment of the invention, and

Figure 14 is an end view taken on the line XIV-XIV of Fig. 13.

In the several figures, similar parts are indicated by similar reference characters.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the radio waves refiected from a scene to be viewed are imaged by a concave mirror such as a spherical mirror III, the waves `from the mirror Ill being reiiected by a plane mirror I I so that the image is formed at the back of the mirror Ill opposite an opening I2 therein. It is assumed that the waves re ceived from the scene are obtained from transmitters cr beacons in the scene, or by illuminating or flooding the scene with radio waves of a Wave length short enough to permit the formation of a sufciently sharp image with an optical system of convenient size, but long enough to pass through clouds and fog. Wave lengths of about one centimeter, for example, or shorter are suitable.

The image opposite the opening I2 is scanned by a scanning drum I5 comprising a plurality of wave guides I3 that are mounted similar to the spokes of a wheel. The inner ends of the wave guides I3 are supported on a hub I4 with their open ends lying in a circle. The outer ends of the wave guides I 3 are supported by a cylindrical member I6 and have their open ends lying on a helix, the outer end of each wave guide I3 being displaced axially with respect to the end of the next adjacent wave guide. As the scanning drum I5 is rotated, the outer ends of the wave guides sweep past and scan the image of the scene to be viewed. As a result, the energy corresponding to each picture element passes down the wave guides I3 where it feeds into a utilization device, such as a wave guide I'I shown in Fig. 5, that guides the energy picked up to a detector or mixer (not shown). Or the utilization device may be a crystal detector I8 or the like such as shown in Fig. 3.

The detector I8 may comprise a crystal I! of silicon, for example, supported on the inner conductor 2l of a coaxial line, and a cat Whisker 22 attached to the outer conductor 23.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, the outer ends of the wave guides Y I3 may are out to form horns whereby more-energy is picked up and whereby the inner ends-may still have a small cross-secl:Lacasse tion at the hub I4 where space is limited. Also, the outer ends of the wave guides I3 may be provided with metal folds 26 as shown in Fig. 6; this form is preferred for scanning an image shrinker such as is shown in Fig. 11, since it was found to minimize pick-up from the Wave guides adjacent the one being scanned.

Fig, 2 Shows thescanning drum I5 mounted on a vertical shaft 21 that is rotatedby a motor 28 through gears 29. providing synchronizing pulses may also be mounted on the shaft 21. is focused by a lens 33 on theapertures in the disc 3| whereby pulses of ili'g'ht .s'trikefafphotoelectric cell 34 to produce synchronizlng'pu'lses that are supplied over conductors 3B to a horizontal deilecting circuit 31 offaicathcdexraytllbe i.

38 (Fig. 12). A similar optical and aperture .arrangement, indicated schematically in "Fig 12, supplies vertical synchronizing pulses to a vertical -dflectlng circuit `Lv39. synchronizing means of the above-described character is well known in the *television art.

As shown in"Fig.l2,fthe outp1it of'thedetector I8 is supplied'throu'gh vanfamplifer 4I "to "theicontrol grid 42 of the cathoderay.tube-138.` If desired,V a' superheterodyne system-may be` employed. For example, the output of-fal'ocal osci1lator243 maybe appliedto'the detector `'It 'by closing a switch 44. `='In'thiscase,'theampliler "4I is an I. F. amplifier, andveitherfa second detector "('not shown) is'provide'd,\or the-fgrid-'IIZ offthecathode ray`tubef38is`biased SOtha'tth'egrid and cathode o'f the cathode-ray --tube 'function as .-'aidetecton From fthe 'foregoing @it Lwlll be'evident Tthat there Vappears von vthe phosphorescent screen on the endl of the-cathoderaytube38 a visual'image of the fscene vcorresponding l'to Athe radio wave image ybeing.l scanned by the .scanning drum 15.

By employing at I a transmitter `the :wave :guide I1'in the combination shown in Fig. `1,'thc scene to be viewed may 'be illuminated :by flying spot scanning. This transmitter :arrangement ris fthe reverse of the receiver `combination in :that rthe energyI from the' transmitter .is :radiated v*from the wave guide I'I into the wave guides I3. :"In the case 1 of -.flying spot f'scanning, I'the'transmitter-iand receiver scanning Amust be :synchronized Las "is well f' understood .in 'the art.

'If the ltransmitter ;is ipulsed, :well iknownzradar technique may lbe employediifor' utilizingl a scanning'fsystem'thatis common to both transmitter and receiver. In a :pulsedfsystemthere :should be'at least one `pulseztransmitted foreachzdesired picture rel'ement. lFollowing radar ifpractice,"the receiver-maybe gated soithatf-o'nlyfecho pulses received "duringra .certain 'time interval following transmission o'f'a'pulse areapplied to the lcathode ray tube. Thus, a picturemay beobtainedshowing lonly objects `lwithin a -certain .range of fdistances --from the `ztransmitter.y Figs. 7 and 8 show two optical systems in-.which the image is formed inta medium'of lhi'ghtindex rif-refraction for obtaining "a .smaller size radio wave image, whereby Iit may vbe .scanned amore conveniently. Since .the fsize of the image is inversely proportional to theindexpf refraction, amaterial vrhaving-ahigh index of 'refraction is selected. The ymaterial :should lalso be la good dielectric. An exampleo'f "such-materialis .Mycalex. In Fig. 7, the-imagefis .formed by'a spherical -mirror surface .50 on l.a lblock-5I of Mycalex, for example. .In Fig. 8.aspherioal mirrorsurface 52 on a1bl`ock..o'f fMycale'X 55 has an k.opening 53 .therein '.througnwhich 'the An apertured disc 3| forA Light fromfa'flamp 32 from a plane mirror 54 to form an image at the rear of the optical system. If desired, the front surface of the block of "Mycalex or other refractive material may be provided with an antireflection layer or coating 60 of Lucite or the like as described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 532,381, filed April 22, 1944, Patent No; 2,?41512352, fand ientitleii llaenses for Radio FrequencyWaves. "`A"l'so thefront surface 1.0 may be shaped to form the correcting surface of 'the well known Schmidt optical system.

v l:Reference will now be made to Figs. 9 and 1l which show "image shrinkers for reducing the size-"of A1a yradio wavefimage. The use of "image -I5 "shinkers'mmayibe desirable under the same conditions that th'euse of the optical systems of mandfmay .be desirable, namely, when it isnot rconvenient to make a scanning drum thatds big enough to scan the image that is obtainable. Also," the image shrinker may be employed 'when =i other :methdds of reducing tthe ima-ge .size zwould :result in `loss Aof iresolution through diifractionfeffects. .Theiffimagershrinker comprises ac'bundleor assembly of .waveguides 6I (Fig. 9) or zrfFignlfl) :assemble/dn tapered relation Ato; receive the a: radio wave image at .the large v:end sandzitransmit .it to a :smaller -area aat the othervend. yThat ltliisl device canrbe of substantial help is seen from `the:'fact-ithatalthough thefminimum'fspotisizefis, for l'many optical systems, :limiteddto the :order lof :one square wave length,zfthe energyl fromthis area ,cant bemutl into a wave guide and delivered over` an areasuch asqlq square wavelengthfor' even'iless.` .-'Ihus,1thearea to biescannedf can befreduced '.tofzsuch-a -iactor .es 116 of the initial image1areanforexample.

..Referringmoregparticularly .to i 9, the .rectangular aware-,guides -6I are tapered from vthe largeiendtothefsmall end. ofthe image shrinker1 ,In this fexamplatthe radiowave image lis formed rby thesspherical mirror I0 'although "any other image forming meansmay be employed. The-large .endofthe .rimage-lshrinker .is.posl tioned substantially v.in the 4plane .of .the radio wave fimagge `formeel fby the lmirror `:III whereby the desired. smaller imagefappearsat rthe smaller endfof thewave guide assembly. .-Fig..10,-.taken on-.thefllne fX-X of Fig..9, shows .the ends f vonthe waveguides -Ii I .-.as-;they .appear `at 4the V.large end oftthe image shrinker. :As-.shown .in Fig. .9, at the large end of the image shrinker, .the ends of the wave guides' 6 I ylieyon a curved surface to conform to the .curvature of-,the-focalplane of the mirror.k IIJ-.and .to the corresponding. curvature of the image. .-At theusmall end ...of the image shrinker, the ends of the .wave guides BI .Alie on -a .surface curved for convenience in scanning.

\ .Referring'againf to Fig. .11, each v:waveguide 62 preferably is rectangular in. cross. section so that 60 azbendiinythewave :guidecannot rotate .theplane of iplarizationof `1a-wave; passing u therethrough. However. the wave guides 62 may be of circular cross section orfotherrshapa if .'desir'ed. .f-Atthe largerfend of the imagefshrinker'. the .wave guides 62 may be supported as shown1infFigs. i111 and f l 1a lby aplate 'havingrectangulartapered openings 61 therein which*function as horns Stor the ends of the wavefgui'cles 62. At'thefsmaller end ofthe-image shrinker the wave guides-B2 are supported by .a plate 68, or clamped rtogether infa Trame.

i The waveguides inlithes'tructureshowniin'iFg. ll (but not `necessarily "tho'seff'in -'Ilig. '13) wlll usually'be or somewhatiirerent lengths.- when this makes the signals in ach'acent wave guides out of phase by more than say a quarter period, it may be desirable to adjust the phase velocity by inserting thin strips or rods of dielectric EQ (Fig. 11a) such as polystyrene in the shorter wave guides. The pieces of dielectric may be of like cross section but of different lengths such that the time of wave propagation is approximately the same in each wave guide or varies in steps of complete cycles of the radio frequency whereby a uniform phase relation of the fields correspending' to the diiferent picture elements is maintained.

The image shrinker can also be used in the reverse direction to provide wide-angle scanning at the transmitter, for example, or, as illustrated in Fig. 13, it may be used in 1 to 1 ratio to transfer an image from one place to another. Figs. 13 and 14 show how an assembly of wave guides 'll can be used to bring an image into a position where it can be scanned without blocking the optical system by the scanner l5. In the example illustrated, a plane mirror 12 with an opening at the center is set at 45 degrees to the optical axis to reflect the incoming radio waves to the image forming mirror l0.

According to another feature of the invention, by making the arrangement of the image shrinker wave guides different at the two ends of the bundle or assembly, it is possible to garble the picture so that the video signals can be broadcast without loss of secrecy. In this case, the final picture may be viewed through a bundle of Lucite rods in which the arrangement of the ends is similar to that in the image shrinker, or the picture may be reassembled in the scanning of the viewing device.

I claim as my invention:

1. A radio wave optical device for changing the size of a radio wave image, said device com prising a bundle of wave guides that are assembled in tapered relation whereby the ends of the wave guides at one end of the device occupy or cover a larger surface area than at the other end of the device, each of said wave guides terminating in a horn at said one end of the device, each of said wave guides being of substantially uniform cross section throughout the major portion of its length.

2. A radio wave optical device for changing the position of a radio wave image, said device comprising anassembly of radio wave guides which are of substantially uniform cross section throughout the major portion of their length, the ends of the wave guides at one end of said device lying on and defining a surface that has a curvature corresponding to the curvature of said image and theV ends of the wave guides at the other end of said device lying on and dening another surface of predetermined geometric shape,

3. Means for imaging radio waves from a scene to be viewed whereby a radio wave image is formed, means for decreasing the size of said image and means for scanning the resulting radio wave image of decreased size.

4. A radio wave scanning device, said device comprising a plurality of scanning wave guides assembled in radial relation similar to the spokes of a wheel with their inner ends lying on a circle and with their outer ends lying on a helix whereby said image or scene may be scanned by the outer ends of said scanning wave guides by rotating said radial wave guide assembly, a radio wave transfer device positioned opposite the inner ends of said' wave guides with an aperture in said transfer device that is so dimensioned with respect to the cross section of said wave guides that no more than two wave guides are opposite said aperture at any one time.

5. A system for scanning a radio wave image, said system comprising a plurality of scanning wave guides mounted in radial relation similar to the spokes of a wheel with their inner ends lying on a circle and with their outer ends lying on a helix, and a wave transfer device comprising a bundle of wave guides having one end thereof located substantially in the plane of a radio wave image whereby said image is transferred to the other end of said transfer device, said device having said other end located to position the transferred image substantially in a plane that is scanned by the outer ends of said scanning wave guides when said radial wave guide assembly is rotated.

6. In combination, means for imaging radio waves from a scene to be viewed whereby a radio wave image is formed, a scanning device comprising a plurality of wave guides assembled in radial relation similar to the spokes of a wheel with their inner ends lying on a circle and with their outer ends lying on a helix, said image being located substantially in a plane that is scanned by the outer ends of said scanning wave guides when said scanning device is rotated, and an energy collecting device having one end that is apertured and which is positioned opposite the inner ends of said scanning wave guides whereby it may collect energy from each scanning wave guide as the inner ends thereof sweep past said one end, said aperture being so dimensioned with respect to the cross section of said wave guides that no more than two wave guides are opposite said aperture at any one time.

'7. In combination, means for imaging radio waves from a scene to be viewed whereby a radio wave image is formed, a scanning device comprising a plurality of wave guides assembled in radial relation similar to the spokes of a wheel with their inner ends lying on a circle and with their outer ends lying on a helix, and an image transfer device comprising a bundle of wave guides having one end thereof located substantially in the plane of said radio wave image whereby said image is transferred to the other end of said transfer device, said transfer device having said other end located to position the transferred image substantially in a plane that is scanned by the outer ends of said scanning wave guides when said scanning device is rotated, and an energy collecting device positioned opposite the inner ends of said scanning wave guides to collect energy from each scanning wave guide as its inner end sweeps past said energy collecting device.

8. In combination, means for imaging radio waves from a scene to be viewed whereby a radio wave image is formed, and a radio wave optical device comprising an assembly of radio wave guides having one end thereof located substantially in the plane of said radio wave image whereby said image is transferred to the other end of said device, each end of said device being a surface of predetermined geometric shape, the ends of each wave guide terminating on said surfaces.

HARLEY A. IAMS.

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